Aeroplane.



AfE. LYGAN.

ARGPLANE.

APPLlOAT'IQN FILED APL 29.

www@

A. E. LYGAN.

AEROPLANE. APPLICATION 11111113 1111.211911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

. E. LYOAN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED 11h29, 1911.

17,015,200o Patnted Jan'.16,1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

,A. E.'LYGAN.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29`,1911.

1,01 ZO., Painted Jan. 16, 191,2.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

tinnen STATES PATENT; OFFICE.

ALBERT E. LYCAN, or TAHOE, imno.

AI/JBOPLANE.

1,015,200. Specictiil if Letters Patent Patented J an. 16, 1912.

Application men pii 29, 191'1. 'serial No. 624,00?. i

Y all 'whom it may concern l Be it known that I, ALBERT E. LYCAN, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tahoe, in the county and State of Idaho, have invented a new and Improved Aeroplane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

'Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are: to provide an aeroplane in Whichthe planes are rotated in a manner similar to vertical lifting propellers whereby the machine may be lifted from the ground wit-hout a pre-l liininary run thereon; to'provide a propelling mechanism constructed and arranged to produce`a reversing action on the' machine without reversing the driving shaft; to; pro" vide a steering mechanism embodying a propeller and rotary mechanism therefor adaptedA to move the head of the machine transversely to the line of flight; Vto provide a ballasting device adapted to permit a fiexibility in the frame andl driving mechanism of the machine and to right the same after any variation from the vertical disposition thereof; to provide levitating devices and 'a driving mechanism therefor adapted for control by varying the effective speed thereof; and to generally provide a. carrying frame constructed and arranged to secure lightness.l strength and durability.

One embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in. the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views,.and in whieh- Figure 1 is a perspective view 'of an aeroplane constructed and arranged in'acc'ordance with the present invention; Fig. 2'ris a 'side elevation of the saine; Fig. 3 is'adisconnected view in plan showing the construction and arrangement ofthe levitati'ng lplanes; F ig. 4 is a rear elevation of an aeroplane constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, a por-- tion ot' certain of the propeller blades being cut away to show the construction of th'e frame in this position; Fig. 5 is a detail view, on an enlarged scale, of the rearend of the propeller shaft and one of the propeller blades shown in conjunction therewith, the remainingpropeller blades being removed; Fig. 6 is a detail view, onen enlarged scale and in perspective, of a propeller blade; Fig. 7 is a detail View in perspective of the lever for controlling the driving propeller; Fig. 8 is a detail view in perspective ofthe controllin mechanism for the steering propeller; Fig.. 9 is a detail view in perspective of two of the rotary planesemployed in a construction embodying the present invention; and vFig.. 10 is a. detail view of a safety ring for the propeller blades.' l

To facilitate the-description of the inven- .tion the instrumentalities have beengrouped and will be so described. vThe first group consists of the instrumentalities forming the rotary levit'atingplanes. and the driving mechanismA therefor; thev second group consists of the drivingpropeller .and controlling mechanism. therefor# the third. group consists ot` the steering propeller and operating mechanism therefor';and 4the fourth group consist -of the carrying frame and ballastsupported thereon.

The levtatz'ngplqnesf-As shown in the `accompanying drawingsthere is employed in the construction embodying the present' invention, in lieu of the inclined planes usually employed in machines of this character, a series of rotary planes, the angle of incidence whereof may be varied and the rate of speed whereof controls the levitating power produced by the said' planes. The planes 15 are preferably shaped as best seen in Fig. 9 of .the drawings, and areA constructed from anyv suitable 4material, such as aluminum. The sheetsfcomprising the planes 15. are molded' to form a dip portion 16 at the outer edge. At suitable location vlengthwise of the planes are mounted. reinforcing str'ips 17. When using metall for `forming the planes 15 r'the said planes are secured by means of rivets-"18 to the spoke arms 19. The arms 19-1are radiated from hubs 20. Itl will be understood that as the hubs 2O are moved to and from each other the angle of incidence ofthe' planes 15 is.

longitudinal median line thereof. The lower end of the shafts is'properly stepped in the 1Q* the drawings.

` Y l 20 pla-nes 15 is dependent on the speed at which 1.@ 25 the lever 28, much'in the manner as now em- 36 the uppermost of the hubs 20 is secured to v. fixed position'jhejhuh 20 may be employed. -As show'nfjin thedrawings the hub is held 45 byi'aet'scrcw' ,It will bee-understood 5,65. the angle. of incidence is vvaried is vadvanguslwithin the'` angle'jof. incidence imparted.

bracket bea-rings 23,' and each shaftis prof 'vided below the saidbearing with a bevel gear Wheel 24; The gear wheels 24 are properly mated with' gear wheels on the drlving 'shaft 25. The shaft 25 is suitably connected with a motor 26 and gear casing 27, a variable speed gear .therefor being interposed between the crank shaft offt-he said motorI and the shaft 25, as best seen in Fig. 2 lot' Disposed-in suit-able adj acency to the aviators chairis-a hand vlever 28. `The lever 28is pivoted at 29 and connected at the lower end thereof-by'means of a connecting rod 30 withthe lever' 3-1 for shifting the speed gears connecting the crank shaft of the motor 26 and the. driving shaft 25,. It will be understood that in the operation of the present machine the levitation ofthe they-are gyrat'ed. lThe speed of the shaft 2,5, and incidentally* the Aspeed of the. shafts 2l connected therewith andthe planes 15, -is ontrolled,"at will, by the aviator moving ployed in .changing -the'speed gears of an automobile. "Thus, when' 1n the operation.-

' of the machine, When "the same has been levitated to the"I py'oper htnght, the aviator, 30 by moving the-lever 28 may slow the-speed vof the shafts 21' until vthe planes 15 maintain at a fixed height the elevation of the machine. f v

Asshown best in Fig. 9 of the drawings,

the shafts .21 by a feather or spline whichspline-slides in a. groove 33 formed in the lshaft 21. It is preferred to set the hub 20 rigidly in-position on the shaft 21 when the proper adjustment has been secured, Ausing for that purpose a set screw 34. `Any suitable method for securing in that' the adjustineu'tjofthearms' 19 and hubs 20- on the shaftsB-lffis 'preliminary to the operation: of-.the shafts for flight. lt will be understood thatafter the flight hascommenccd'the variation in tle-.forceof the operation of the planes 15 fis solely. depend ent on the rate of speed imparted thereto by the shafts 2l and 25.-

'lhe adjustment of the planes 15 whereby f- .t.igeon s f infth'its Weather Aconditions which re at-timcs prohibitive to flight, may. in

vb'e accommodated. As for- .j. inst ancc,"if intending to fly', any storm -or to `the planes 'l5 canberedueed'to minimize` the'- dangerous conditions; u-bile on the other l|a`nd,should the weather be such as to require that the grippingr of tlie planes I be al. .the maximum, the angle of incidence of the said planes may be so adjusted as to' accommodate this condition.

If cloth'or similar material is 4em loycd instead of metal sheets, as shown in Il"ig. 9 of the drawings, it will be understood that the planes will not be molded, asl shown in the drawings. The molding of the planes is considered as a decided advantage,-

Vthegrip of the air being materially 1n- "ereased thereby. In all forms of material,

however, itis desired that the planes 'shall be arranged to produce the downwardly dip portion 16. The' air when moved by planes of the character'describedl is moved radially from approximately the center of gyration and' is delivered from the planes15 outward.-

therefrom. In passing from the said planes pulsel is imparted to the planes.

The driving propeZlr-m-Having above describedl the method of lifting the lmachine from the ground, IwilL now proceed to describe the-method of propelling'the same in.-

the vline of Hight. For this purpose, primarily, there is providcd'the driving pro-' pcller, which is preferably mountedat the over the dip portion'l6 a slight upward imstern end of themachine upon the driving shaft 40.v -The shaft 40 is tubular in form, and is connected with Athe shaft 25 through vthe transmission gear Wheels 41'. At the outer endr'tbe shaft 40 is provided with \a head block 42, as best seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Thehead block 42 is preferably rectangular in form, andis provided with pintles 43 extended radially therefrom. The pint-les 43 are designed to extend within and form a. bearing for the hollow tubular shafts 44, upon which are mounted the propeller blades 45. The blades 45 are con-4 structed as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6 from two sheets of suitablemetal converged at the forward edge and flared to the rear to form a wedge-shape vin cross` sect.ion. -The purpose in the construction is to avoid suc-v tion at the back o'f thccpropellors to a large .shaft 44 .is `provided with a crank arm 4 7 ixedly mounted upon ,the said' shaft '44 and vextended therefrom.' -The arm 547 is'eo'n nected by means of t-he link 48 with the A.

bead 49. The head 49 is fixcdly mounted on the end of a rod 50. The` rodfiO is extended lthrouggb the tubularslmft'40, :ind

vis connected by means ot a ball and`soclmt.

joint 51 to the lever arm 5:? rigidly extended from the pivot shaft V3. The pivot. shaft .'33

11o degree, and to providefaeonstruction where the lever 28.r It will bese'engthat as the lever 54`is moved-back and forth the rod'50 is moved within the shaft 40, andthe head 49 is caused to separate'froxn or approach thel block 42, rocking the shafts 44 to and from the neutral position thereof.' When 'the blades45 are' properl adjustedthe saine are locked in position y any suitableform of deteritmounted onth'' levers 54, lockingl upon the quadrant 55. It is to! revent the centrifugal disadjustment of't e shafts 44 and blades'45' -that there are provided'the overhanging frames 56, under which the ends 57' of the arms 47 at all times extend. '.Theiframes 56 aid in supporting bl forminga 'foot for the shafts 4442.9 resist t e strain on the blades 45;

It is to provide againsttheaccident of the blades 45llying from off .thegpintles 43 that' 'I have provided the-safety rings 58.I The lower endsewhereof are pierced to receive tions. roperly provided i'thel block 42"to' e'frings 584 and arms 59 connected4 '5to-propel vto the right or leftof the longi- This action lock rings 58`are'connected with" the arms 59, the

.pi'ns' 60 whichare'driven through perforatherewith in position in the said blocks.-

I 1t will be *understood that within the scope oftheoperationof the blades the lever 5 4l may o ,e moved 4to rock the v'shaft- 44 to present either, side of the blade 45 as the operating. side of the -propeller,l.thus reversing the action of the propeller' of the machine.A Thus it 1s`within'the capacity'ofthe pres.-

ent machine to govern the 'speed of propulsion thereof to arrest the machine mits horizontal flight; or torever'se the horizontal flight; andthis -Withoutl disturbing the operation of the planes 15, to maintain the4 levitated positionof the machine.

The 'Hearing'mechanisme-In the present machine the usual rudder for varyin the; horizontal line'of travel, or. the mcllne line of travel, is jdisp'ensed 'With, and instead thereof isprovided-a propeller disposed at -the forward end of 'the machine, vmounted to operate in a line perpendicular Ato-the llongitudinal center of the maohinez- The propeller utilized as a steering device 1s pref- 'andpurposes idexitical in construction to the blades 45. The links 48 are in this lconstruction substituted by the links 71, as seen in l? ig. 8 'of the drawings, and the head 49 is substituted bythe cross head 72, which is rigidly mounted on the end of the rod 73.

rod 73 is, in this construction, extended ugbjp-,hort tubular shaft 74, which shaftis mounted in suitable bearings 75 provided in the 'frame of the machine. The

'rod 73 is provided with a squared extension 76. A- ca 77 isprovided on the shaft 74 to guide tie said squared extension 76 and to mount the bevel gear wheel 78. The gear wheel 78 is meshed witha double faced bevel gear Wheel 79, which is tixedly mounted on there'is provided a steering lever 80, the

vl1andle'81 'whereof is disposed adjacent the aviator s l chair. The lever 80 is pivoted'at 82 uporrthe frame of the machine, andthe short arm ofthe said lever is' pivotally connected `with the link 83. ,At. the end of the link 83-ren'1oved from the short arm of the lever 80 it-is rovided with a socket 84 to i holdiiiglyreceive a pawl formed on the end `oft-heezttension 76. This construction forms a'resilientfconnection between the lever 80 and-thev rotary. shaft 74. It will be under- 'stood thativh'enthe aviator moves .the lever 80to`theright orleft' the blades 70 are ro- 1 tatedabout frointhe-center to present the .one Vor'othervface .thereof to the air'through whiclrth'ey'ai'e'passi-ng, or, inv other Words,

sufficiently longe to "form supports, which,

.wheniresting onfthe ground, lift the cab 91 above the ground. struts 90 are connect' ed .wit-li theliorizontal bars 92 and the framing'vbars 93 by means of the socket plates 94; The Aframe is'reinforced by corner-braces 95. Upon the horizontal bars 92 and the framing bars 93 is supported a superstr-ucture` arrangedin the same shape as the bars 92 and 93,. and consisting of the parallel bars 96 'and the framing bars 97. Thebars 92 are `maintained intheir separated rela-tied.

brac'es 98, and the bars 96 are maintaine 1n separatedrelation by braces 99. The bars 93 and 97 are converged at the ends of the machine, and are mounted rigidly in the socket plates 100 there provided. To support the shaft 25 and torender the frame' more rigid, the',- stanchions 101 are reinforced by cross braces 102. When the frame thus constructed is reinforced by the corner braces 103,.

The cab 91-is provided to receive, as desired,

passengers or freight. Forthis-purpose the'v doors.105 and windows G are forinedin the said eab. The cab is employed'in the machine .asa-ballast therefor. With this fpurpose ni view it is desired that the con:

neetion between the cab 91 and theframe of the machine shall be flexible, to insure which Athe ginibal spider 107 formed. The spider 107 is provided with bearingsformed in the plates 108`which are fixedlymounted. upon the 'hars 02. This arrangement of the bear` .ings insures the ride of the eab in a horizontal position independent of the disposition of the body of the machine. To likewise balance the eab transversely oli-"the fore and* aft extensions ot thespider 107 are` pro` vided hearings 'for brackets-10S) secured to' theroof of the eab 0l and upon which the said cab is primarily swung. It` wlllbe seen that by reason of this hanging of the cab the saine will be permitted any suitable nioveplanes 15.

ment. Aabout: the center of the spider 107,

hanging plumb thereunder.

'lhe frame herein described lsupportsuthe shield roof 110 which is disposed above the' aviators chair 111, ,to shield -the aviator from lthe down draft of air induced -hy the It will be understood. that while I prefer to use 4the shield' 1 l() the same is not Vindispensable to the proper operation of the machine. lThe framealso furnished a. con.

venient support for the `gasolene tank 112 to supply the motor Q6. As seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings the tank 112 is snspended'in bearings formed at the converged ends of the hraelet farms 1 13.A 'l`he liraeket varms 113V are depended fion: the bars tn'.

'/'wf operation..-f'l`be operation of a. niacliine eonstrueted and arranged as described and as shown in the accompanyingdrawings i is as followsz-'l`he motor .ft having been the steering lpropeller in the same. position,"

started, t-he aviator having. climbed to' the chair. and the. passengers or freight being.:` seated or deposited in the eab, the lever )h' is operated to slowly throw .in the speed gears eonueet ing the crank shaft of the moton As the eounee that. is, in a neutral position. "The i'naehine bein;r thus disposed to 'avoid horizontal travel tlie'phines 15 lil't the.,samefvertically above the position'in-wliieliktlie machine has rested. When the machinehasbeen lifted to the elevation4 desired,. the aviator, by manipulating the-lever 28 slows theslia-fts 21- and the planes 15nntl 'the lifting-effect ofthe planesl compensate for. t1ie weight carried thereby, .when the .elevation of the machine will cease.- "lhedever 5411s now shifted toV rotate the-blades 45 of; the 'pro'- pollingl shaft, when the-machinewill be propelled ina forward direction, gradually )usted to'a Amore acute or. positive angle.4

The machine will now progress in 'a hori-v zontal plane. '.If it' be desired to change the line of flight horizontally'. the aviator moves the lever 8O to riglitor left, astlie case may, be, to change the angle-of incidence of the] blades 70 o the steering 1: ropgller,'this-op erating tomoveI the machine to rightfor left in answer to the puller push ofthe said propellet'.

If in the course o`f -thehorizon'tal flight. it .b e desired to inceasecr diminish-- the elevation o'f the machine, .the lever 28 is' manipulated "to vary-.flies` )eed of the shafts .21 andino-identally the s iaft.40, -w lien.`the' planes 15 will lift the. machine to yet `greater-v height, and if udesired vthe hlades'45 ill drive the same at'. lan. increased .-hrizpntal" speed. lf, however, it be. desired tO'fmitin` tain the. rate of speed fornferly at'tainedytliis,

may be aceoniplisla-.d by manipulating ,the Y* lever 54 to change the angle of incidence to accommodate the increased speed' ofthe shaft 40. Should it be desired to lower the elevation of the machine, or to bring the" saine to tliegroundtthis is 'accomplished by' slowing the speed offthe shafts 21' untilthe port. the weightof the machine, when t ier same will settle gradually throughv the air.'

I t, will be anders-total that 'by manipulating the lever the` machine ma be brou ht' to.

a rest'. upon the'ground wit iontshoe .If

during thei operationof the niachinet be desired to arrest the same in its horizontal (light, this ymay be accomplished bymanipiif, .latng the lever '54 'to rotate the blades 45 to'.

their neutral position, or by further rotation v-to change the. angle of incidence of the said iisblades to pull agaiiisttheshaft:`= 40 andthe machine connectedtherewith o position to the -former.propulsimi imparte thereto.

l elainiits 'new ters Patent 'is f t: An -aeroplanqcouqwising ii horioi'i-j, Y

- and Adesire to secure Let?l tally disposal driving' 4sha-ft; a plurality] said :rotary shafts; -a iluralityof'inclined planes' connecting;` sai a'rins'to form lev'i,` tatmg'planes when said shafts are'rotated; 'a propeller operatirely/connected with `said driving 'shaftg a prime mover for said 'of vertically disposedrotar Shaftsaoperay' l tively .connected with'said t riving shaft;y a", plurality. of arms xedly connected with 75. gathering' headway as the bladesA are "ad- @einem driving shaft; ineens for varying the effective speed of said driving shaft; and

means for varyin the angle of incidence of the blades of sai propeller to compensate for the variation in speed of said driving shaft.

2r An aeroplane, having a driving shaft disposed longitudinally in said aeroplane; rotary levitating ineens arranged to operate vertically and perpendicularly to said driving shaft, seid levitating means bein operatively connected with said driving s aft; a driving propeller operatively connected with seid driving shaft and disposed to operate inline therewith; e steering propeller operatively connected with said driving shaft endl et the end opposite that at which the` said driving propeller is connected, seid steering propeller being disposed. to operate horizont-ally end perpendicular te the seid shaft; means for varying the rotary speed of seid driving Shaft; and manually onerated means for independently varying t ie operative angle of the blades of prt pellers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT E. LYN

Witnesses:

`Wneiinv Pncnnn, Pierre. Hmmm. 

